Surface ornamentation



Patented Apr. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE J CLARENCE MCCARTHY, 0F LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TQ ARMSTRONG CORK COMPANY, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF TENNSYIA- VAN IA SURFACE ORNAMENTATION Application filed February 23, 1928. Serial No. 256,212.

This invention relates to surface ornamentation and more particularly to a method and apparatus for orna-menting a surface where on designs or figures are placed at desired intervals.

The invention is particularly adapted for the application of lacquer or similar quick drying paint or decorating coat to the surface of a moveable strip, such for example as floor covering, adapted to pass a stencilling station at which the decoration is applied through a stencil. The stencil is moveable with respect to the stencilling station so that clean portions of the stencil may be brought into decorating position for each stencilling operation.

path to bring new portions of According to my invention, the ornamenting design is cut in a stencil which is mounted to move relatively to the stencilling station. In the decoration of floor covering, I prefer to follow the usual practice of moving a continuous web of floor covering relatively to the ornamenting station. In one embodiment of the invention, I arrange the stencil to move relatively to the floor covering, and I also arrange the floor covering to be' movable relative to the stencil. The motion of the stencil is synchronized with the motion of the floor covering so that desired portions of the stencil are brought adjacent those portions of the material to be ornamented at the proper time when the ornamenting liquid is applied thru the stencil.

The stencil preferably comprises an endless unit which may be moved in a closed the stencil adjacent the material to be decorated While the previously used portions of the stencil are being cleansed of the paint or lacquer'used for ornamenting.

Referring to the accompanying drawings illustrating certain preferred embodiments of my invention Figure l is a diagrammaticview, partly broken away, showing an ornamenting machine embodying my invention; the stencil being movable perpendicular to the motion of the material to be ornamented;

Figure 2- is a diagrammatic plan View of the apparatus shown in Figure 1;

Y mented.

ratingliquid is supplied by a conduit 7. Air

or other suitable pressure fluid is supplied to the air brushes 6 by a header 8 and a valve 9 controls the pressure therein.

The. stencil 2 preferably comprises a thin strip of suitable material in the form of an endless belt. The stencil 2 is moved in the direction of the arrow A by a driving drum having teeth thereon for engagement with the stencil 2 whereby movement of the stencil is accurately controlled. I

The stencil is guided across the table 3 on rollers R, R which are normally urged upwardly by springs to hold the stencil clear of the material 4 during movement. Rollers R, R guide the stencil onto and off of the rollers R, R. The rollers R R are supported by suitable brackets attached to the frame of the machine; the rollers R, R are suitably supported on rods 100, which are vertically movable in brackets 101 attached to the frame of the machine, springs 102 serving to urge the rollers upwardly whereby the. stencil is held clear of the material 4.

The stencil 2 is led thru a tank' 11 containing a solvent for the decorating liquid. A plurality of brushes 12 rotated by a suitable motor 12a are arranged to operate upon the stencil 2 and loosen and remove any paint or lacquer adhering thereto. In cooperation with the brushes 12, the solvent contained in the tank 11 acts to thoroughly wash and The stencil is preferably formed of thin metal although impregnated hard pressed fibrous materials may be employedif desired.

Guide rollers 13 serve to direct the stencil between the rotating brushes l2, and also serve to maintain the stencil beneath the surfaceof the solvent during its course through the tank 11. Guide rollers 14 and 15 direct the stencil out of the tank 11 and into a second solvent tank 16, which may be similar in all respects to the tank 11 and which is placed in the path of the stencil 2 on its way back to the decorating station. Thus the stencil is washed twice after each stencilling operation.

The stencil 2 is drawn from the tank 16 by the driving drum 10 across a guide roller 17 along a path of travel to a guide roller 18, from whence it is led across the driving drum l0 and a tension roller 19 to the roll R and roller R having its top surface slightly elevated above the level of the material 4. The tension roller 19 serves to hold the stencil 2 taut during its path of travel.

In order to insure that the stencil is tlioroughly dried before it is pressed against the material 4, I provide a drying box 20 provided with heating coils 21 adapted to lie closely adjacent the stencil 2 during its travel thru the box, thereby insuring that all of the solvent which may be on the stencil is completely evaporated. A fan 22 serves to draw air through the drying box 20.

In operating the machine shown in Figure '1, the material l moving along the table 3 is brought to rest and the hood 5 is lowered to press the stencil 2 against the material 4. A plurality of feet 23, movable with, and at tach-ed to the hood 5 serves to hold the stencil against the material. 4 during the operating period. It is preferred that the feet 23 be resiliently mounted or be made of elastic material so that slight irregularities in the material a will be compensated for and a tight fit is assured between the stencil 2 and the material 4 during a brushing period.

When the hood 5 has come to rest upon the material 4, the air brushes 6 are operated and an ornamenting liquid such as a quick drying paint-or lacquer is applied through the stencil 2 to the material 4. A suitable exhaust conduit 24 is provided for removing the fumes from the hood. This provision reduces the explosion hazard in the ornamenting hood, and also provides means whereby the solvents may be recovered from the hood 5. Any well known solvent recovery method suitable to the particular solvent used may be applied to the conduit 24. 1

As best shown in Figure 3, the preferred type of air brush comprises a conduit 25 having a nozzle 26 adapted to direct a stream of pressure fluid across the end of a conduit 27 The conduit 27 is adapted to withdraw decorating liquid from a small reservoir 28 the conduit 27 being set at a slight upward angle from the reservoir 28 so that any decorating liquid remaining in the conduit 27 after a blowing operation flows by gravity back to the reservoir 28, thereby preventing the dripping -of lacquer upon the material to be ornamented. A supply pipe :29 connects the reservoir 28 with a suitable source of supply of decorating liquid. In Figure l, the supply pipe 29 connects all of the air brushes 6 with a constant level supply source S wherebya substantially constant level of decorating liquid is maintained in all of the reservoirs. v

After applying the ornamenting liquid, the hood 5 is elevated and the stencil 2 is raised from the material 4 by means of the spring actuated rollers R, R. The stencil is then moved by means of the driving drum 10 a distance at least equal to the width of the material being ornamented. This insures that a clean portion of the stencil is brought to the stencilling station, and obviates the possibility of partially dried paint or lacquer adhering to the stencil being smeared on the material 4.

Between stencilling operations, the material 4 is moved relative to the table 3 in a line perpendicular to the direction of the stencil 2. Unless the material 4 is moved at least the width of the stencil 2, there is likelihood that paint or lacquer may be smeared when the stencil is again pressed upon the material.

If the solvent in the tank 11 is changed and filtered from time to time, the cleaning tank 1 6 may be dispensed with. I prefer to use a second cleaning tank, however, inasmuch as the ornamenting liquid is difiicult to remove and may not be entirely washed out of the smaller openings in the stencil in one cleaning operation. a

The stencil 2 is preferably a length equal to multiples of the width of the material l. This insures registration after each motion of the stencil if the stencil be moved the width of the material periodically. This is not essential, but is convenient in that the stencil is always moved the same distance. It will be a parent, however, that different effects may be had and various designs may be placed at odd intervals upon the material 4 if t 1e stencil 2 be moved unequal distances between stencilling operations.

The hood 5 is controlled by cams 31 which may be rotated to raise and lower the hood by means of cam followers 31a and rods 316. A suitable drive 32 serves to operate the drivlng drum 10 for moving the stencil 2 and for raising and lowering the hood 5 by rotating the cams 31. The cams 31 are preferably cut with a relatively steep rise'and fall, so the hood quickly releases the stencil 2 from the material 4, thereby avoiding smearing of the decoration when the stencil movement is started.

The movement of the driving drum 10 may be arrested during the application of a decorative coating through the stencil by stopping the motor 32, or by an suitable clutch means for disengaging the (i ium from the driving mechanism, as will readily occur to one skilled in the art. V I

Pin bands 33 control the motion of the material 4. The operation and control of these bands are well understood in the art to which this relates so no specific mechanism is'illustrated for moving the in bands. The table 3 may be the bed of tie ordinary Waldron printing machine used in printing floor covering, the stencilling mechanism being used alone or in addition tothe printing mechanism. In any event,the drive 32 is synchronized with the pin band drive to insure that the hood is lowered upon the stencil 2 only when the material 4 is at rest.

It is preferable that the valve 9be controlled by the drive 32 so that automatic decorating is obtained when the hood 5 is lowered. This may readily be accomplished by means of a trip lever 9a which is engaged by the hood framing in its downward motion to open the valve 9 by means of a link 96 against the action of a spring 90 which normally closes the valve and which is effective for snapping the valve shut immediately upon slight upward motion of the hood 5.

In Figure 4, I have diagrammatically illustrated a machine in which the stencil moves in. a direction substantially parallel to the direction ofmotion of a strip of material 34 to be ornamented. The strip of material 34 is preferably moved and controlled by a pin belt 35 running the length of a table 36 supporting the material 34. It is desirable that there be a pin belt 35 engaging each side of the material 34 so that absolute control-of the material is had at all times and registration is assured. The pin belt control is old and well understood in the floor covering art and requires no detailed explanation.

Suspended above the table 36 is a stencil 37 which is caused to lie closely adjacent the material 34 by guide rollers38. A paint or lacquer applying hood 39 is suspended immediately above the stencil 37 for the application of decorating liquid to the material 34. The stencil 37 is preferably the form of an endless belt running beneath and above the hood 39. A solvent containing tank 40 similar to the tank 11 previously described, serves to clean the stencil between blowing operations.

I further provide a drying system whereby heated air is drawn across the surface of the ornamented material. An exhaust fan 41 serves to draw air thru heating coils 42 across the face of the material 34 to an exhaust conduit 43 from whence it may be disposed of at any desirable place.

As indicated in the drawings, itis possible to place a number of stencils side by side to obtain varied effects in decorative designs in the same co ors or numbers of various shades and colors. The embodiment illustrated, in Figures 1 and 2, would permit a number of stencils to be placed closely adjacent so that a minimum travel of the material to be ornamented is required to bring an undecorated portion of the material beneath a desired stencil.

' The invention is particularly adapted for the ornamentation of floor coverings such as linoleum and felt base goods,but it is apparent that other materials in the form of a continuous web may be decorated with equal facility. In such application of the invention, the goods to be decorated will preferably be moved past the stencilling station in some manner depending somewhat upon the type of decorating liquid employed. The invention is not limited to any particular type of control mechanism for the material to be ornamented, since such a material as wall paper or very thin floor covering or oil cloth might require a modified form of the moving and controlling mechanism shown for materials of a less flexible nature.

I prefer to use a quick drying liquid such as colored lacquer in order that the decorations may dryto a certain extent, at least, between the stencilling operations. decorating liquid sets to such an extent so that the decorations will not be disturbed when the stencil is pressed upon the material, it will be possible to apply over lays and maintain sharp lines between the various colors of the design. I may, however, maintain the atmosphere Within the decorating hood saturated with the solvent to a high degree 50 that drying is inhibited and the colors will run together and so produce a gradual merging from one color to another; the coating being set between stencilling stations by drying systems as illustrated in Figure 4.

Obviously, all of the air brushes 6 connected to the same source of coating supply will apply the same color. If desired, several colors may be applied within one hood by supplyingthe desired colors to the various brushes and separating the sprays of different colors by shields.

While I have illustrated and described certain preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but may be otherwise em-' bodied and practiced Within the scope of the following claims:

I claim:

1. Apparatus for applying a decorative coat to a moveable web of material at a stencilling station, comprisin a stencil having an endless stencilling sur ace adapted to travel in a closed path, means for moving the stencil to bring desired portions thereof at If the 2. Apparatus for applying a decorative.

coat to a moveable web of material at a stencilling station, comprising a stencil having an endless stencilling surface adapted to travel in a closed path, means for moving the stencil to bring desired portions thereof at the stencilling station coincident with portions of the movable web to be decorated,

means for applying a decorating mediumthrough the stencil to the web, means for cleaning the stencil as it moves along the closed path, said cleaning means including a bath for a solvent for the decorating medium and brushing means for bringing the sol-vent into intimate contact with the stencil, and drying means along the closed path of travel of the stencil succeeding said cleaning means.

3. The combination with a moveable stencil having an endless, stencilling surface adapted to travel along a closed path, of means for moving the stencil relatively to a web of felt base floor covering to be decorated, means normally holding the "stencil clear of the web, and means for bringing the stencil into contact with the web at such times as a decoration is to be applied.

4. The method of decorating a strip of moveable material by means of a moveable stencil having an endless stencilling surface adapted to travel along at substantially right angles to the path of the movable material, the steps consisting in moving the web periodically to bring desired portions successively into cooperative relationship with the sten- Cll, moving the stencil periodically to bring desired portions of the stencil adjacent the web, and applying a decorating coating to the material through the stencil.

5. The method of decorating a moveable web of material by means of a stencil in the form of an endless belt, which comprises moving the web to bring desired portions adjacent the. stencil, moving the stencil periodically to bring desired portions of the sten cil adjacent the web, maintaining the web and stencil in spaced relationship during the relative movement of the web and stencil, bringing the stencil and web into contact with one another when there is no relative movementbetween the stencil and the web, and applying a decorating medium through the stencil to the web at a time when the stencil and the web are in mutual contact.

7 6. The method of decorating a moveable cil above and away fromt form of an endless belt, which comprises moving the web to bring desired portions adjacent the stencil, moving the stencil periodically to bring desired portions of the stencil adjacent the web, maintaining the Web and stencil in spaced relationshipduring the relative movement of the web and stencil, bringing the stencil and web into contact with one another when there is no relative movement between the stencil and the web, applying a decorating medium through the stencil to the web at a time when the stencil and the web are in mutual contact, and cleaning the stencil continuously during its movement.

7. Apparatus for use in the decoration of a moveable webof material, comprising a. stencil in the form of an endless flexible belt, adapted for movement along a path of travel having a stencilling statiompoincident with the path of the moveable web, means normally urging the stencil away from the web of material, hold down means for pressing the stencil into contact with the moveable web when a decoration is to be applied, air brushes for applying a decoration through the stencil to the web, and valved means for supplying pressure fluid to the air brushes, said valve means being operable when the hold down means is effective. I

8. Apparatus for use with a flexible movaable stencil adapted to move in a path having a stencilling station therein, comprising a plurality of decorating medium applying means at the stencilling station, a hood inclosing the decorating medium applying 190 means, said hood being adapted to tightly engage the stencil and' prevent leakage of the decorating medium, hold down means for maintaining the stencil in contact with the surface to be decorated, said hold down means and hood being operable to engage the stencil during a decorating application, whereby the stencil is maintained in contact with the surface to be ornamented and the decorating medium is confined inside the hood.

9. In a stencilling device for applying decorations to a moveable .web, decoration ap plying means at a station along the path of travel of the web, a stencil movable between the decoration applying means and the web, means normally supporting the stencil above and away from the web, positioning means for moving the stencil at substantially right angles to the path of travel of the movable web, and hold down means operable to press the stencil against the web when both the web and stencil are stationary.

10. In a stencilling device for applying decorations to a movable web, decoration applying means at a station along the path of travel of the web, a stencil movable between the decoration applying means and the web, means normally supporting the stenweb, positioning means for moving the. stencilatsqibstantially right angles to the path of travel of the movable web, and cleaning means in the path of the stencil whereby the stencil is automatically cleaned while moving along its path of travel.

11. Apparatus for decorating a movable web of felt base floor covering, including an endless flexible stencil movable over the web, means normally holding the stencil free from the web, hold down means effective for maintaining all of that portion of the stencil to be used in an application of decorating material in close contact with the material during the application of the decorating medium,

and means for applying a decorating medium thru the stencil.

12. In a process for the manufacture of floor coverings by means of stencils, the steps consisting in moving a web of felt base floor covering periodically to bring the desired portions successively into operative relationship with the stencil, and applying a decorative coating to the felt base web through the stencil to form a pattern on said web.

13. The method of decorating a floor covering by means of stencils, the steps consisting in moving the floor covering periodically to bring a desired portion thereof into co-operative relationship with successive stencils, and applying a decorative coating to the floor covering through a stencil while the floor covering is at rest with respect to the stencil to form a pattern on the floor covering.

3 14. In the method of decorating a web of floor covering material by means of co-operating stencils, the steps of moving the web periodically to bring a desired'portionthereof into co-operative relationship with a stencil applying a decorative coating of one color to the web through the stencil thereby forming a portion of the completed pattern, moving the web to bring the partly decorated portion thereof into co-operative relationship with a second stencil and applying a decorative coating of a different color to the web thrbugh the second stencil to form with the decorative material first applied a single decorative pattern.

00 15. A process for the manufacture of floor A coverings, consisting in stencilling a multiple of colors on a hard surfaced coated felt base, so stencilling the colors individually and consecutively to form a pattern.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. J CLARENCE McCARTI-IY. 

